A New Instrument Called Love
by Dolores-the-Dip
Summary: The summer before grade 10 has two unsuspecting teens becoming closer as a relationship blossoms. Part 1 of a mini series.


A New Instrument Called Love

A PEANUTS Fanfiction

Written by LivingOnLaughs

(Note: Takes place in the summer before grade 10)

* * *

_"Mom, I won't play the violin!" a little girl snapped, storming upstairs and slamming the door behind her._

_"Go get her please," the mother explained to her husband, who nodded in agreement._

_"Champ, get down here! Pronto!" the husband exclaimed as the little girl obediently followed his command._

_"Yeah, dad?" the girl timidly asked, a lump in her throat._

_"You WILL be playing the violin."_

_"Try to make me!"_

_"Boys like violin players just as much as they like engineers..." the mother responded._

_"No! I won't do it!"_

_"Please?"_

_"No!"_

_"Marceline Stephanie Carlin..."_

_"Yes, mother..."_

* * *

"What if you and I got married someday?" Lucy inquired, leaning against the red toy piano.

"What if you and I didn't get married?" Schroeder smirked.

"Pride-1; romance-0..."

"Yup."

"You and that stupid Beethoven! It's all you ever think about!"

"Not true; I also think of baseball..."

"Musicians have a one track mind..." Lucy fussed, storming off.

"Maybe I DO need to find a girlfriend...definitely NOT Lucy-she's too fussy...Violet's a nice girl, but she does like Pigpen...Patty also likes Shermy and Frieda does have 5...why can't I get a girlfriend?"

* * *

Music camp was something Schroeder was eager for...nothing but playing music with others...hopefully nothing to complex. On the bus, he saw many kids. A boy in a camp hat had a recorder in his lap, a girl dressed in a pink t-shirt had brought a cello, another girl had her trumpet but one kid stood out for just fitting in.

In the last row of the aisle was a girl dressed in a NASA sweater, red t-shirt with matching red shorts, white ankle socks and blue shoes. Her hair was in a long ponytail and her arms and legs were covered in Band-Aids. She held a violin case and was looking out the window sadly. One feature made her stand out though-opaque glasses.

"Nah, it can't be..." Schroeder scoffed before a thought hit his head-introduce himself to her. "Hi..." he began.

"Hi..." she murmured softly.

"I'm Schroeder-well 'Schroeder's' my last name...my real name's Jimmy-but I'm getting ahead of my-"

"You're the catcher on Charles' team, only older, aren't you?"

Now he knew he had the right girl. The girl anxiously twirled a piece of hair around her finger as he watched. "So...how do you know?"

"I was on an opposing team...the Pelicans..."

"Oh yeah...we played against the Pelicans a lot!"

"Yeah...I miss those days...I'm Marceline...Marceline Stephanie to be exact...but I DO have a nickname..."

"Marcie?"

"Yeah, that's my nickname...people address me as 'Marcie' so much, that I began believing it WAS my real name...how'd you know?"

"Marcie...my name's Schroeder-Jimmy Schroeder-but everyone called me by my last name."

"Schroeder?" she chuckled, exposing her braces as she giggled.

"Yeah...it's a bit dumb, but I don't really mind."

"Not that? Schroeder? As in Charles' catcher, with the blonde hair? You have an interest in Beethoven music and hate when a certain girl leaned against your piano...that Schroeder?"

"Yes, that Schroeder."

"So, what's new with you?" he asked after an awkward silence.

"I got braces." shrugged Marcie. Even after all these years, she couldn't hold conversations. Smiling, Schroeder put her hand in his hands.

"I noticed, they really bring out your smile." complimented Schroeder as she smiled a little more. "So, what else is new?"

"Well, my family moved to another city the summer before junior high, the girls keep bullying me, my relationships keep failing...want more?" she sighed, gripping onto the violin case.

"And you play violin?" he pointed out.

"Yeah, I didn't want to though."

"I remember when you moved away. We had the going-away party and Pepper gave you a locket."

"Yeah, I still have the locket too. I remember the MANY Beethoven Birthdays you hosted. Did you remember Beethoven day last year?"

"Not one bit, I was too busy dealing with family issues."

"Divorce?"

"No-my dad...he..."

"My condolences."

"I was only in ninth grade...last year..."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Lucy still nags me. She even has earrings-since 8th grade. She almost got hepatitis though."

At that moment, Marcie burst into a fit of laughter. Blinking, Schroeder shrugged it off as her being her dorky self that he remembered from when they were in Miss Othmar's class. Then he remembered Peppermint Patty and Lucy trying to get their ears pierced. Smiling, he too began laughing.

"Aside from that?" he asked. "What else is new?"

"Mom nearly sent me to boarding school-then she had second thoughts." Marcie shrugged.

"Wow."

"I also made a few new friends-there's Claire, Regina and Lily. I think I have a picture of them in my violin case." smiling, she pulled out a picture of her with three other girls-one with wavy red hair, a Caucasian girl with braided pigtails and a chubby girl with blue highlights in her curly brown hair, she introduced them as Claire, Regina and Lily respectively. "I never forgot Peppermint Patty though. How is she, Schroeder?"

"She's doing fine-she'll be in grade 9 this fall though." replied Schroeder. "She finished her second year of grade 8 last year."

Marcie gulped, wanting to say something before the bus stopped. They had made it to the music camp.

* * *

A few days passed and Marcie sighed as she looked out the window, there was a dock near a lake. It brought a few tears to her eyes, and when one of her bunkmates asked what was wrong, Marcie could only say they were happy tears. Few minutes later, Schroeder snuck in, toy piano in his grasp and holding onto a memory book.

"Schroeder?" Marcie questioned. "What're you doing?"

"I put a little memory book together using pictures from when we all were kids." he explained. "Wanna see?"

"Okay." she replied as they began looking at pictures. "So, how's Charles?"

"He's dating the Little Red Haired Girl."

"Peppermint Patty?"

"She's got Franklin-he's doing well despite grieving his grandfather's death earlier this spring."

"Oh...what about-"

"Linus has finally done it-he hooked up with Eudora. Sally has a boy named Harold Angel now."

"And-"

"Rerun is a pro b-ball player for his class."

"What about Violet, Patty, Pigpen, Shermy and Frieda?"

"They all got together-Frieda has 5."

"How's Snoopy?"

"No one told you, did they?"

"Well, no one tried reaching my phone number."

"He...he no longer dances, or flies planes."

"How long ago was this?"

"A few months before Veterans day the year you moved-he damaged his spine while falling from atop his doghouse. I swear, things have gone bonkers the past few years."

"Is Snoopy still alive?"

"Oh yes, he does get really happy at suppertime too!"

The two looked at the memory book some more as Schroeder explained the past few years to Marcie. He mentioned Peppermint Patty's failing the eighth grade, Sally's boyfriend, Truffles visiting, a flu virus that spread, Snoopy's paralysis, the ball games won-just about everything he could. He even showed her a picture of Peppermint Patty hanging out with a girl named Erin.

"Hey Marceline, Jimmy! Come on! Lesson's beginning!" a boy called out.

"Coming, Norris." Schroeder replied.

"Good."

"We're coming!" Marcie called out, grabbing her violin case and placing the picture under her pillow.

* * *

"Hey Marcie, there's a campfire tonight." Jannette-one of Marcie's three bunkmates-explained. Jannette had long black hair, light skin with freckles, grey eyes and wore a Camp Kamp shirt. "Are you coming?"

Marcie sighed as she shook her head. "Not tonight, Jan. I have too much on my mind. Tell Nessie and Courtney I say hi though."

"It's not that Jimmy boy, is it? Be honest. I have brothers, Marceline Stephanie." Jannette rolled her eyes.

"Is it that obvious, Jan?"

"Marceline..."

"Yeah...he's just so...warming, I mean, I've known some of his friends for years and now..."

"Feeling alone?"

"I wonder if he has feelings for me."

"Best thing to do is to wait."

"You know it, sister."

Smiling, Jannette promised to bring back a s'more for her bunkmate as she joined the others, bumping into Schroeder along the way. "Oh, Jimmy, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Jimmy Schroeder." smiled Schroeder.

"I'm Jannette-Jannette Winfield."

"Nice meeting you."

"So, you're a friend of Marcie?"

"Acquaintance is a better word, but yeah."

"That's so sweet. I wish I had a dude like you. You'll be a wonderful boyfriend."

"WHAT?"

"Jannie!" a girl called out. "O'er here!"

"Coming, Courtney."

When the fire died down, Jannette, Nessie and Cortney went back to their tent to find Marcie and Schroeder talking together.

"So that's where he went. Upset stomach my a-" began a fed-up Courtney.

"Apparently, they're catching up." Nessie shrugged.

"They are." smiled Jannette. "They're a cute couple too."

* * *

During the summer, Schroeder and Marcie did their best to keep their feelings hush-hush: Schroeder would lollygag at lunch and make tiny paper boats or paper dolls for her-sometimes he'd sneak her a comic book of Spider Person and other times, he'd be writing her a love song. She would send love notes to him, draw him pictures and even took him out into the woods late at night to view the stars. The night was magical for them both-especially on their last day. Jannette, Norris and the other campers raised their eyebrows in suspicion a lot to say the least.

"Promise to call ASAP, Nessie?" Jannette asked as she handed a girl with cowlicks her phone number.

"Indeed." the girl replied.

"Cool!" another girl-Courtney-chirped in.

"We will." smiled Marcie as Schroeder looked over at her.

"Marcie, promise to write back?" he worried.

"Oh you big hunk of love and music, of course I'll call once I get home." she replied by flinging herself into his arms.

"You're a great violinist...maybe one day we can tour the world." he smiled.

"Oh sure-I can see it now in big lights: _Schroeder and Carlin_." she joked.

"I was thinking of _Carlin and Schroeder_, you little gooseling." and with that, Schroeder up and kissed Marcie on the lips as she giggled. Others stared.

"Wow." Norris blinked.

* * *

"Welcome home, Schroeder." smiled Linus before Lucy cut in.

"How was music camp? Did you see any hot girls? How were the classes? Did you miss me?" she asked.

"I missed you as much as I miss the Bubonic Plague." Schroeder retreated. "And yes, camp WAS good. I even met a cute girl."

"Who?" Peppermint Patty asked, blowing the hair out of her face as a petite blonde comforted her.

"Just a girl who I'll refer to as M.S.C...why? Is someone envious?" he teased.

"No...what'd she look like?"

"Hold on, I have a picture of the two of us. I'll show it to you."

"Okay."

"Is she a nice girl?" gulped the blonde.

"Yes, Erin." Schroeder replied as he showed Peppermint Patty the picture. "I think you'll remember her, Pepper."

"Schroeder, that girl...is she Marcie?" wondered Peppermint Patty.

"Yeah."

"Even after all this time, she looks nearly the same."

"Cool." Sally exclaimed.

"So, finally found your girl?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Musically inclined, really sweet, friendly. Yup." Schroeder smiled as Lucy stood there with her jaw dropping. "BTW, Lucy. I have a bunkmate who seems interested in you."

* * *

"So, we're finally gonna meet the gang?" Lily asked as Marcie hooked the computer up to Facetime.

"You know it. We'll start with my BFF-Peppermint Patty." Marcie replied as Regina gulped. "Now act natural."

"Got it." Courtney smiled.

"Yup." added Nessie.

"Wouldn't do otherwise." remarked Jannette.

"Okay." Claire saluted as the two parties got connected.

"Everyone, this is my friend." explained Marcie.

"Wow." Peppermint Patty blinked.

"You're still my BFF though, Sir."

"Thanks, Marcie."

* * *

"I missed you, Sir."

"NEVER stop calling me 'Sir'."

"Sir?"

"What?"

"If Schroeder and I get married, how'd you feel about being my bridesmaid?"

"I'm busy that day."

"You are?"

"Just kidding. I'll gladly attend."

"You're the best, Sir."

* * *

"Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" teased Regina.

"Oh be quiet, Reg." laughed Marcie. "I wanna survive Yale first...or Harvard."

"Whatever it is, you'll ace it." reminded Lily.

"Yeah." Claire added as the door creaked and in came a teen with shaggy blonde hair carrying a beagle dressed as a pilot and Schroeder.

"Guys, this is Jimmy Schroeder, Charles Brown." Marcie introduced. "And his dog-Snoopy."

_"It's the French Lass. After all these years."_ smiled Snoopy. He didn't look a day older than when they were kids.

"French Lass?!" Regina, Claire, Nessie, Courtney, Jannette and Lily asked.

"It's a joke from my youth-don't judge." Marcie shrugged.

"I can tell." Jannette blinked.

"He's NEVER been a normal d-" began Charlie Brown.

"We heard!" the girls sighed.

"Guess Marcie already told you though."

"Yeah. Nine root beers coming up!" declared Marcie as she grabbed her old beret.

"Aye..." sighed Jannette.

"Some things NEVER change." explained Charlie Brown as they all sat in a circle, quaffing root beer and exchanging stories.

* * *

"No way!" exclaimed Nessie.

"Serious. I tore down a doghouse once." replied Marcie.

"By yourself too...whoa..." blinked Regina.

"That's nothing. When you enter Sparkyville, just ask for Charles Brown. I got lots of tales to tell." added Charlie Brown as Marcie smiled lovingly.

"Indeed." Schroeder remarked before kissing Marcie on the lips again. He had finally found his girl, and she found her perfect boy. One day, things would be perfect though-a husband, children, close friends and love. To Marcie, a boyfriend was a great start, and she was grateful that music camp brought her and Schroeder close again.

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
